Fly tower with full rigging (allows for props to be lifted up and down)

Electronic curtain pulley system

PA system linked into all dressing rooms for announcements

Prop storage room and loading dock

Grand piano room with temperature and moisture control

Sound and lighting control desk

Why the upgrade was needed

The old theatre only seated 420 people, many shows will only play to an audience of 500 or more. The backstage was run down, the roof leaked, the dressing rooms were poor, the uncomfortable seats, a tiny foyer and the stage was too small and the building was in need of urgent attention. The theatre needed a lot of maintenance if it was to meet acceptable health and safety standards. A rebuild on the current site was considered the most cost effective way to give the district a first class facility for many years to come.

Other options considered

1. Do nothing: The building would need a lot of money spent on maintenance. Otherwise it would have become increasingly run down, less touring shows would perform here and it was likely the theatre would close.

2. New theatre – new location: Council looked at building a new theatre at the Lawson Field site. This would have cost around $12m. We felt this was too expensive for the district.